Live Shows

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I perform live all over the country. Some, like The Ten (food) Commandments, my search for the culinary promised land, or My Dining Hell, my journey through appalling restaurant experiences, are one man shows, and are absolutely hilarious. Others are with my jazz quartet and are also absolutely hilarious, but in a good way. Here you’ll find a complete listing, with an indication of which type it is. There are links to buy tickets.

All Shows

This is a complete list of all my live shows, in date order. As tickets go on sale, 'buy' buttons will be added. For a more detailed description of the types of show, click on the 'Jazz', 'One Man Show' and 'double-header' tabs.

The Ten (Food) Commandments, Mitchell theatre, Glasgow

My Dining Hell, Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh

Songs of Food And Agony

I’ve been playing the piano for over 30 years, and for the past decade have concentrated on jazz. You can read about my musical adventures here
Now, working with some of Britain’s best musicians, we perform songs about food and drink, and others informed by my experience of growing up with my mother, Claire Rayner, who was an agony aunt, and I tell stories about both. With Dave Lewis on sax, Robert Rickenberg on bass and the singer Pat Gordon-Smith. To read more about the brilliant musicians in my band click here.

Jay Rayner Quartet, Live at Brasserie Zedel, London 9.15pm

The Jay Rayner Quartet at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival (dinner and a show)

My Dining Hell

I have been the restaurant critic for the Observer for over 15 years, written reviews of well over 700 establishments, and if there is one thing I’ve learnt it is that while readers like reviews, what they really love is reviews of bad restaurants. They adore them, feast upon them like starving vultures who have spotted fly-blown carrion out in the bush. In My Dining Hell, I examine our love affair with lousy reviews, rant about my most hated restaurants fads, list my most excruciating nights out and – just to balance things – read from the worst reviews my own work has ever received.